Grimoires

A History of Magic Books

Owen Davies

The first ever history of magic books - or grimoires - from the ancient Middle East to Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Covers all types of grimoire - from harmless charms and remedies to sinister spells and pacts with the Devil

The history of grimoires is more than just the history of magic - it illuminates many of the most important developments in European history, from the spread of Christianity to the settlement of the New World

Grimoires

A History of Magic Books

Owen Davies

Description

No books have been more feared than grimoires, and no books have been more valued and revered. In Grimoires: A History of Magic Books, Owen Davies illuminates the many fascinating forms these recondite books have taken and exactly what these books held. At their most benign, these repositories of forbidden knowledge revealed how to make powerful talismans and protective amulets, and provided charms and conjurations for healing illness, finding love, and warding off evil. But other books promised the power to control innocent victims, even to call up the devil. Davies traces the history of this remarkably resilient and adaptable genre, from the ancient Middle East to modern America, offering a new perspective on the fundamental developments of western civilization
over the past two thousand years. Grimoires shows the influence magic and magical writing has had on the cultures of the world, richly demonstrating the role they have played in the spread of Christianity, the growth of literacy, and the influence of western traditions from colonial times to the present.

Grimoires

A History of Magic Books

Owen Davies

Author Information

Owen Davies is Reader in Social History at the University of Hertfordshire. His previous books include The Haunted: A Social History of Ghosts; Murder, Magic, Madness: The Victorian Trials of Dove and the Wizard; and Cunning-folk: Popular Magic in English History.

Grimoires

A History of Magic Books

Owen Davies

Reviews and Awards

"An amazing achievement, not just for its depth of research but its breadth, from Massachusetts to Martinique to Mauritius. It must become the classic work on the subject."--Ronald Hutton, author of The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Pagan Witchcraft

"Excellent and nuanced."--History Today

"A sweeping, fascinating history... Highly recommended."--CHOICE

"Among the many pleasures of reading Davies' book is the simple, shiver-producing enjoyment of scanning the rich, ominous-sounding titles that he catalogs in the course of charting their historical development."--Los Angeles Times

"Davies' book is indeed a remarkable accumulation of exotic data...Owen Davies' Grimoires is an extraordinary assortment of riches - it is highly recommended."--Alternative Spirituality and Religion Review